A Semester That Changed Everything: Florida Southern Student Finds Her Future in Spain
Aug 5, 2026
For many Florida Southern College students, studying abroad offers more than an opportunity to travel; it provides experiences that shape their academic and personal growth. For Brooke Sommers, the Semester in Spain program became an experience that changed the direction of her life.
“If I could, I would relive every single day I spent in Spain for the rest of my life,” Sommers said. “The best day I ever had was arriving in Spain and the worst day I ever had was leaving.”
Florida Southern's Semester in Spain study abroad program appealed to Sommers, a rising senior majoring in business administration with a concentration in international business and Spanish and minoring in entrepreneurship, because it allowed students to experience life abroad while the College handled logistics, giving them the freedom to focus on learning, travel and cultural immersion.
In Alicante, Sommers studied at Proyecto Español, where classes were taught entirely in Spanish alongside students from countries around the world.
“My favorite part of studying with Proyecto Español was the diversity of people, languages, cultures and opportunities,” she said. “You get to be in a classroom with different people from different countries and backgrounds, which allows you to learn more than just the language.”
For Sommers, learning extended well beyond the classroom. Everyday conversations, errands and exploring the city accelerated her language skills in ways traditional coursework could not.
“My Spanish language skills skyrocketed throughout the semester,” she said. “Because you're so immersed in the language every day, your brain has no other choice than to pick up on the language and adapt to it subconsciously.”
Beyond language acquisition, the experience gave her a renewed sense of purpose.
“When I studied abroad, I didn't just take classes, I learned that there was a whole other part of the world I have been missing my entire life,” she said. “Since studying abroad, I now have a clearer focus on exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Much of that clarity came from the relationships she built with local residents, whose friendships helped her experience Alicante beyond the typical tourist perspective.
“They changed the way I viewed Spain, especially Alicante. They showed me places I would have never discovered myself, but more importantly they taught me things about myself I would have never learned if I never met them.”
Those friendships also introduced her to sobremesa hour, the Spanish tradition of lingering around the table after a meal to enjoy conversation, a practice she continues today.
“The times in Spain I continued to sit there even after we finished eating have been some of the most real and beautiful conversations I have ever had in my life,” she said. “Sometimes it's worth it to stay for a moment without the rush to enjoy the purpose of why we even came to the restaurant, to enjoy each other's company.”
Looking ahead, Sommers hopes to build a career that will one day bring her back to Spain. She credits her semester abroad with transforming her career goals and her confidence.
“I am so grateful I found the place that allowed me to grow into my highest self and the version of myself I knew I would always become but didn't know how to be,” she said. “This trip showed me the way.”
For students considering a semester abroad, Sommers’ advice is simple: “Step outside of your comfort zone and just do it. Sometimes in life you have to go really far to find out who you really are.”
“If I could, I would relive every single day I spent in Spain for the rest of my life,” Sommers said. “The best day I ever had was arriving in Spain and the worst day I ever had was leaving.”
Florida Southern's Semester in Spain study abroad program appealed to Sommers, a rising senior majoring in business administration with a concentration in international business and Spanish and minoring in entrepreneurship, because it allowed students to experience life abroad while the College handled logistics, giving them the freedom to focus on learning, travel and cultural immersion.
In Alicante, Sommers studied at Proyecto Español, where classes were taught entirely in Spanish alongside students from countries around the world.
“My favorite part of studying with Proyecto Español was the diversity of people, languages, cultures and opportunities,” she said. “You get to be in a classroom with different people from different countries and backgrounds, which allows you to learn more than just the language.”
For Sommers, learning extended well beyond the classroom. Everyday conversations, errands and exploring the city accelerated her language skills in ways traditional coursework could not.
“My Spanish language skills skyrocketed throughout the semester,” she said. “Because you're so immersed in the language every day, your brain has no other choice than to pick up on the language and adapt to it subconsciously.”
Beyond language acquisition, the experience gave her a renewed sense of purpose.
“When I studied abroad, I didn't just take classes, I learned that there was a whole other part of the world I have been missing my entire life,” she said. “Since studying abroad, I now have a clearer focus on exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Much of that clarity came from the relationships she built with local residents, whose friendships helped her experience Alicante beyond the typical tourist perspective.
“They changed the way I viewed Spain, especially Alicante. They showed me places I would have never discovered myself, but more importantly they taught me things about myself I would have never learned if I never met them.”
Those friendships also introduced her to sobremesa hour, the Spanish tradition of lingering around the table after a meal to enjoy conversation, a practice she continues today.
“The times in Spain I continued to sit there even after we finished eating have been some of the most real and beautiful conversations I have ever had in my life,” she said. “Sometimes it's worth it to stay for a moment without the rush to enjoy the purpose of why we even came to the restaurant, to enjoy each other's company.”
Looking ahead, Sommers hopes to build a career that will one day bring her back to Spain. She credits her semester abroad with transforming her career goals and her confidence.
“I am so grateful I found the place that allowed me to grow into my highest self and the version of myself I knew I would always become but didn't know how to be,” she said. “This trip showed me the way.”
For students considering a semester abroad, Sommers’ advice is simple: “Step outside of your comfort zone and just do it. Sometimes in life you have to go really far to find out who you really are.”